Israel's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs explains the historical facts relating to the issue of refugees in the Israeli Palestinian conflict.

The video explains the reason there are still refugees after more than six decades is because of Arab leaders' recalcitrance to accept their brethren and the United Nations which created a separate agency with unique principles and criteria. The video also highlights the issue of the Jewish refugees who were forced out of their homes in the Arab world, and were subsequently absorbed by the State of Israel.

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Visitor Comments: 10

(9)
Michael Shidler,
December 18, 2011 1:28 AM

Multiplie comments beg the question - why Israel fails at P.R.?

I am biased but that aside, I continuously read about the inventions and scientific advance that come from Israel. With all that knowledge and intelligence, why does Israel seem to loose the come PR game? The only answer which I can find that makes any sense, given the high intelligence found there, is that when it comes to Israel, and more specifically the Jews, there is the age old "double standard" at play.

(8)
Dvirah,
December 13, 2011 4:58 PM

More on Refugees

Mr. Ayalon may correct me, but it is my understanding that in the early 1970's Israel built about 6-7 housing developments for the purpose of integrating the Palestinians from the refugee camps "captured" in 1967, which plan was foiled by Arafat & his PLO, who threatened to destroy the entire family of anyone moving into the new housing developments. These housing development stood empty until 1986, when the Israeli government opened them to anyone interested in buying a house or apartment, giving them the status of "developing city." These housing developments, intended originally for the Palestinian refugees, in fact constitute the nucleus of the new "settlements"; and this also explains why these so-called "settlements" are physically so close to the Palestinian refugee camps.

(7)
Desmond,
December 12, 2011 12:25 PM

Stunningly clear explanation

Very clear to those of us who already know these facts. Now they need to get the info out to "other"doubters and scoffers. Since the media will not show this, get it onto Youtube, Facebook and at least have it there until the lefties and Arabs get it removed.

(6)
kate b,
December 12, 2011 10:12 AM

It's up to us to share it on mainstream media/our govts, also

Its up to us to lobby the UK govt, Cameron/Foreign Office to remind him of this and how unfair it is. Also we must write to MPs and the British Foreign office and remind them of the initial, legally binding British Mandate for a national Jewish homeland to be RE-established in Israel - you can mention the Palestinian Symphony Orchestra - Palestinian POst (to be Jerusalem post), Palestinian Bank which were ALL Jewish and this was prior to 'Pals' nicking the word "Palestinian".
Remember the Mandate was divided into yet another ARab nation (Jordan) and all Palestinians are Jordanians - as an aside: who is going to be responsible for the lie of removing Jordanian from their passports and putting in "Palestinian"? How long is this lie going to go on?
You;d be surprised about how people can change their minds once faced with the naked truths about the "sacred covenants" of the mandates in which 'no land may be ceded' and that Israel, like all its surrounding Arab nations has an inalienable right to determine itself, civilly, relgiously and politically.
Get your pen out/e-mail and don't shut up about it!

(5)
dci33,
December 11, 2011 8:58 PM

Moroccan Jews

To my knowledge Jews from Morocco were not forced to leave, they left Morocco from their own will but they couldn't take their money out of the country

(4)
Anonymous,
December 11, 2011 5:58 PM

I agree with annie. This correspondence reaches mostly people who are interested in the well-being of Israel,therefore, not very effective. It should appear in mainstream media. Israeli PR has a lot more work to do in that field rather than caving in to the antisemitic propaganda. I would add that the propaganda is not just stupid, it is a very mild characterization, it is dangerous and more dangerous when nothing is done about it before it is too late.

(3)
Gloria,
December 11, 2011 4:56 PM

Excellent Information

Thank you for the excellent information. Like another commenter, I had no idea that there were two different UN agencies handling refugees. I am not a Jew, but I find this site extremely helpful for the information it provides that is not provided by American or Canadian media.

(2)
ruth housman,
December 11, 2011 2:49 PM

The Unequal Treatment of Refugees

Thank you for your very succinct description of what has and is happening. I was unaware of the two separated agencies of the UN. Of course this is NOT just, and it's just keeping wounds open, and seems calculated, as you say, to keep this conflict going at the expense of so many people, who have no home and whose situation is a breeding ground for hatred.
How do we, or others, turn this around? Is it possible when the surrounding countries do not absorb them and contribute knowingly to such ongoing pain and injustice?

(1)
annie lass,
December 11, 2011 1:49 PM

the truth about refugees- excellent BUT see comments

great email BUT not able to FWD it to significant OTHER interested parties!!
says a lot about PR efforts, whilst medfia and lefties are able to promote their stupid ignorant biased antisemitic proganda hate material!!! we can't fwd this! YOU really need to look at this!
Annie

Marvin,
December 11, 2011 5:58 PM

Annie, directly under the black rectangle that contains the video is an email symbol and the words, "email". Click on it. Fill in the necessary info, including the email addresses of the folks you want to send it to, then click "send".

I've been striving to get more into spirituality. But it seems that every time I make some progress, I find myself slipping right back to where I started. I'm getting discouraged and feel like a failure. Can you help?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Spiritual slumps are a natural part of spiritual growth. There is a cycle that people go through when at times they feel closer to God and at times more distant. In the words of the Kabbalists, it is "two steps forward and one step back." So although you feel you are slipping, know that this is a natural process. The main thing is to look at your overall progress (over months or years) and be able to see how far you've come!

This is actually God's ingenious way of motivating us further. The sages compare this to teaching a baby how to walk. When the parent is holding on, the baby shrieks with delight and is under the illusion that he knows how to walk. Yet suddenly, when the parent lets go, the child panics, wobbles and may even fall.

At such times when we feel spiritually "down," that is often because God is letting go, giving us the great gift of independence. In some ways, these are the times when we can actually grow the most. For if we can move ourselves just a little bit forward, we truly acquire a level of sanctity that is ours forever.

Here is a practical tool to help pull you out of the doldrums. The Sefer HaChinuch speaks about a great principle in spiritual growth: "The external awakens the internal." This means that although we may not experience immediate feelings of closeness to God, eventually, by continuing to conduct ourselves in such a manner, this physical behavior will have an impact on our spiritual selves and will help us succeed. (A similar idea is discussed by psychologists who say: "Smile and you will feel happy.")

That is the power of Torah commandments. Even if we may not feel like giving charity or praying at this particular moment, by having a "mitzvah" obligation to do so, we are in a framework to become inspired. At that point we can infuse that act of charity or prayer with all the meaning and lift it can provide. But if we'd wait until being inspired, we might be waiting a very long time.

May the Almighty bless you with the clarity to see your progress, and may you do so with joy.

In 1940, a boatload 1,600 Jewish immigrants fleeing Hitler's ovens was denied entry into the port of Haifa; the British deported them to the island of Mauritius. At the time, the British had acceded to Arab demands and restricted Jewish immigration into Palestine. The urgent plight of European Jewry generated an "illegal" immigration movement, but the British were vigilant in denying entry. Some ships, such as the Struma, sunk and their hundreds of passengers killed.

If you seize too much, you are left with nothing. If you take less, you may retain it (Rosh Hashanah 4b).

Sometimes our appetites are insatiable; more accurately, we act as though they were insatiable. The Midrash states that a person may never be satisfied. "If he has one hundred, he wants two hundred. If he gets two hundred, he wants four hundred" (Koheles Rabbah 1:34). How often have we seen people whose insatiable desire for material wealth resulted in their losing everything, much like the gambler whose constant urge to win results in total loss.

People's bodies are finite, and their actual needs are limited. The endless pursuit for more wealth than they can use is nothing more than an elusive belief that they can live forever (Psalms 49:10).

The one part of us which is indeed infinite is our neshamah (soul), which, being of Divine origin, can crave and achieve infinity and eternity, and such craving is characteristic of spiritual growth.

How strange that we tend to give the body much more than it can possibly handle, and the neshamah so much less than it needs!